Mistrial in Fort Smith trial over woman's death FORT SMITH (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial in a first-degree murder case over a woman's strangulation after he concluded that a juror introduced new evidence during deliberations. Testimony lasted two days and jurors deliberated three hours Wednesday when the judge was told a juror had a concern. Prosecutors charged 60-year-old Kevyphonh (KEVY-faun) Sounyaphong (SON-ia-fong) in the 2013 death of 50-year-old Sakounsouk (SOCK-un-suk) Vila...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear May 12 in Circuit Court. • Stephanie Monteleone, 33, delivery of a controlled substance — $15,000. Monteleone was arrested Monday on suspicion of selling methamphetamine. An Arkansas State Police trooper testified during the past six months, Mo...

Gynecologist charged with video voyeurism PARAGOULD (AP) — A Paragould gynecologist is being sought on felony charges after allegedly taking photographs of a nude female patient. Prosecutors on Monday charged Dr. Paul Becton, 68, with five counts of video voyeurism. An affidavit says the patient notified Paragould police that she believed Becton used a cellphone to take photos of her during an exam. Prosecutor Scott Ellington says police notified Arkansas State Police who found numero...

2 arrested in alleged Medicaid fraud scheme LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Two Little Rock women who run a day treatment center have been arrested for allegedly bilking the state's Medicaid program out of more than $41,000. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Wednesday that Darann Bright Harrison and her daughter, Tamecia Dion Bright, were arrested last week following an investigation. Both were released from jail after each posted $2,500 bond. It was unknown if either had an attorney. T...

Judge lets conviction of treasurer stand LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge Tuesday upheld the corruption conviction of Arkansas' former treasurer, saying prosecutors proved she illegally influenced interstate commerce and rejecting her argument that the case against her should have been heard by state authorities. Lawyers for Martha Shoffner had said the Arkansas Ethics Commission — not federal jurors — should have addressed claims that she accepted $36,000 from a bond broker who di...

Man on federal death row tries for new hearing LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A Yukon, Okla., man on federal death row for the slayings of three members of an Arkansas family wants a judge to reconsider his denial of a request for a hearing that could lead to a new trial. Attorney Karl Schwartz on Tuesday filed a motion saying U.S. District Judge J. Leon Holmes was wrong to have turned away Danny Lee's petition for a hearing so he could argue for retrial. Holmes denied the motion, saying Lee didn't go...

Police officer fired after arrest GUY (AP) — The Guy Police Department has fired a part-time police officer after he was arrested last week on suspicion of Internet stalking of a child. Chief Dave Martini says the department terminated Josh George's employment. Martini says he will ask the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training to decertify George as a police officer. Faulkner County authorities say George was arrested after he allegedly tried to meet tw...

Teen arrested for threat at Rogers High School ROGERS (AP) — Police in Rogers say a 15-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a threatening message written on a boy's bathroom stall at Heritage High School. Police said in a news release that the boy was arrested Monday on a felony charge of communicating a false alarm. The threat was found Friday. Details of the message were not released — but police say it was non-specific and did not mention any particular students.

Bond hearingsThe following individual appeared in felony bond hearings Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. Her name, age, anticipated charge and bond amount is listed. If charged, she will appear May 12 in Circuit Court. • Monica Jane Gritton, 34, breaking or entering — $20,000.

Derrick arraignment delayed againApril Derrick's arraignment on a first-degree murder charge that was initially rescheduled for yesterday has been pushed to May 5. "The prosecutor is still waiting on evidence," Debra Reece, Derrick's defense attorney, said. Derrick, 36, is charged in the shooting death of 40-year-old Josh Garner. On March 1, officers responding to a disturbance at North Market Street in Dover found Garner in the residence with a gunshot wound to the chest. A ...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear May 12 in Circuit Court. • Michael Sampley, 30, theft by receiving and fraudulent use of a credit/debit card — $10,000. The Russellville Police Department (RPD) received a complaint from a woman who said her debit card was stolen out of her purse ...

Judge denies Shoffner request for attorney LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge has turned down a request by former Arkansas treasurer Martha Shoffner for him to appoint her hand-picked lawyer to represent her in her appeal of her corruption convictions. Shoffner was convicted last month on 14 bribery and extortion counts. She filed court papers saying her trial exhausted her financial resources and asked U.S. District Judge J. Leon Holmes to appoint one of her lawyers as a government-pa...

Ex-deputy arrested in child sex Internet sting CONWAY (AP) — Faulkner County authorities have arrested a former deputy after the man allegedly tried to meet two children for sex. The agency says Josh George, 30, of Guy was arrested Thursday at a grocery store parking lot, where he allegedly agreed to meet a woman who said she'd make her two young cousins available for sex. Police say it was a sting arranged by the Faulkner County criminal investigations department and no children were invo...

Lafayette County treasurer indicted for theft TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — The treasurer in Lafayette County in southwest Arkansas has been indicted for allegedly embezzling public money. U.S. Attorney Conner Eldridge says Keesha Rose, 36, appeared before a magistrate judge Thursday after a grand jury indictment charged her on Jan. 29. The FBI and the Arkansas State Police also took part in the investigation. Rose faces two counts of theft from a program receiving federal funds in excess of at ...

Baxter County woman gets probation in plea deal MOUNTAIN HOME (AP) — A Mountain Home woman has pleaded guilty to drug charges after she admitted selling prescription painkillers to her grandson — who was acting as a police informant. Vicki Sue Gardner, 60, pleaded guilty Thursday to delivery of a controlled substance. According to court records, Gardner sold 455 oxycodone pills, 40 oxycontin pills and 99 hydrocodone pills to her grandson, who was working with police. The Baxter Bulletin rep...

High court reverses capital murder conviction LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A Lincoln County man's capital murder conviction and life prison sentence was vacated Thursday by the Arkansas Supreme Court, which said the state didn't prove its case. Justin Jamaille Thornton, 23, was convicted in a non-jury trial in the 2011 shooting death of Kwame Turner. Thornton's lawyer had asked for an acquittal at the 2013 trial, but Circuit Judge Berlin Jones denied the motion. The high court, in a divided ruling,...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear in Circuit Court May 5. • Lesa Standridge, 50, introducing contraband into facility — $10,000. On Monday, Standridge reportedly turned herself in to the Pope County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) and brought a Bible with her. The backing to the Bible ...

Teen stabs 22 at Pittsburgh-area high school MURRYSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Flailing away with two kitchen knives, a 16-year-old boy with a "blank expression" stabbed and slashed 21 students and a security guard in the crowded halls of his suburban Pittsburgh high school Wednesday before an assistant principal tackled him. At least five students were critically wounded, including a boy whose liver was pierced by a knife thrust that narrowly missed his heart and aorta, doctors said. Others also ...

3 found dead at home in Garland County HOT SPRINGS (AP) — Authorities in Garland County say three people are dead in a suspected double murder-suicide. The Garland County Sheriff's Department says officers received a call for a welfare check Tuesday night at a home on Blacksnake Road. Once there, officers discovered three people dead inside the home. Authorities identified the victims as 50-year-old Judy Ritter, 49-year-old David Ritter and 23-year-old Jonathan Ritter. Lt. James Ma...

$1M bail set in Texarkana square dancer death TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — A judge has set bail at $1 million for a 65-year-old Texarkana woman accused in the December shooting death of a fellow member of a local square dancing club. Virginia Ann Hyatt has pleaded not guilty to capital murder in the fatal shooting of 59-year-old Patricia Wheelington. According to an affidavit, Wheelington was shot to death Dec. 3 while sitting on her front porch. Capital murder in Arkansas is punishable by deat...